May 1, 2024 By Omron Automation Omron has a broad portfolio of technologies that help enable semiconductor manufacturing With semiconductor manufacturing booming in the Americas, fabrication facilities are on the lookout for innovative ways to quickly produce high-quality wafers and gain a competitive advantage. Omron has the solutions to make that happen. Their portfolio of…
It’s been a little over a year since ChatGPT arrived on the scene and put the future of artificial intelligence in the spotlight. Top of mind were risks. Questions were heard such as: Are technologies becoming too powerful? Is AI advancing too rapidly – faster than we’re prepared for? These questions are now prompting important conversations between government and industry. Collaboration will be needed not only to guard against risks but to seize the many positive opportunities ahead.
The modern manufacturing space is becoming “greener” than ever before. A recent survey of more than 200 manufacturers found that adopting new technologies in service of reducing their environmental impact is a top-tier concern in 2024 and beyond. While a more sustainable approach to manufacturing that reduces your carbon footprint certainly includes more traditional methods like reducing energy consumption, digitalizing the design and configuration of your industrial automation infrastructure can also be key in hitting sustainability benchmarks.
The world of tomorrow requires more and more networked machines and processes. This will make the production of the future increasingly flexible, individually controllable and, above all, less susceptible to faults. Lapp will be showcasing the reliable connectivity solutions for this transformation at HANNOVER MESSE 2024.
The modern manufacturing industry is adopting smart technology solutions to drive performance and increase efficiency. These kinds of smart systems help alleviate a variety of pain points, like time-consuming, manual tasks and the lack of real-time data in order to optimize production programs. These principles certainly apply to smart industrial enclosure climate control systems, but there’s more to smart enclosure cooling than just automating tasks or streamlining workflows.
Traditionally, the automotive sector has been the driving force behind robotic investment and development. However, as technology has advanced, automation has become far more versatile. For a good example of that versatility in action, look at the food and beverage industry. During Q2 2023, food and beverage robotics orders totaled $21,800—and shipments in that same sector totaled $30,900. It’s clear that food and beverage companies have thoroughly embraced automation. Consider the sheer amount of products and services that food and beverage companies provide and it’s easy to see why.
The importance of food safety reached new heights for consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic — in fact, a majority of consumers still identified food and beverage safety as a top tier concern even as the pandemic began to subside. As such, food and beverage manufacturers began embracing new technologies not only to ensure high hygienic standards, but also to increase the shelf life of products and better combat the potential for spoilage with items like meat and dairy. High-pressure processing (HPP) answered the call as an efficient method of manufacturing food and beverage products.
Ground fault protection is a critical aspect of electrical safety in both residential and commercial settings. Understanding what ground fault protection is, why it is important, and how it is implemented can help prevent electrical hazards and ensure the safety of individuals and property. In this blog, we will delve into the significance of ground fault protection and explore the various methods of implementation.
If you’re looking for ways to become a more sustainable industrial organization this year, 98% of manufacturers are thinking the same thing. They are working towards implementing sustainability systems and solutions in their own organizations. As you work towards becoming a more sustainable industrial organization, you’re probably preparing for new mandates that regulatory bodies will require. Additionally, you’re preparing for different corporate targets for sustainability performance and profitability.
Traditionally, wall mount industrial enclosures have been known more for their flexibility and capacity to help reduce a manufacturer’s automation footprint. While Rittal’s line of AX KX enclosures already demonstrate a high level of durability, the new AX KX stainless steel (SS) enclosure is designed specifically to prioritize industry-leading strength, protection, and reliability to help manufacturers increase productivity and reduce downtime.
With the highlights of the new Eplan Platform 2024, Eplan continues to make engineering and circuit diagram creation as efficient and convenient as possible for users. The company takes a look at the most important innovations, where exactly they are in the software and how users can use the optimizations for themselves. In this article, let’s take a closer look at what makes the new version (even) better than its predecessors from the user’s point of view and why a version change is worthwhile.
External pressures and internal challenges continue to mount for food and beverage and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies. Keeping up with evolving and increasingly stringent food health and safety regulations can be complicated. Regulations such as CFR 21 Part 11, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) changes and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act all have increasing requirements on electronic record keeping of quality and traceability records in manufacturing.
The future of power system substations may be redefined by the application of virtualization. At least that is what an increasing number of utilities are envisioning as they explore the opportunity for increased virtualization in substation design. In this future, there would be a significant reduction in the hardware used in substations. Instead, tasks will be carried out on cloud servers, marking a noticeable shift from the current reliance on extensive racks of hardware. The appeal for utilities is the significant cost reduction for substation design and engineering, reduced usage of copper wiring, and the ability to easily replicate substation designs for future expansions.
One challenge that manufacturers face with servicing or customizing the wiring and cable configurations of their industrial enclosures is the ability to quickly access the wire systems that require attention. While a more modular approach to industrial enclosure design and configuration can simplify this process, an enclosure plinth makes access faster and easier, and it can also increase the cable and wiring capacity of standard industrial enclosures. Increased cable flexibility is not the only benefit an enclosure plinth provides. In fact, plinths can help manufacturers increase productivity and reduce downtime in a number of key ways.
What is Arch Flash Reduction? According to NEC Article 240.87, arc energy reduction is required for circuit breakers applications of ratings 1200A and above. The requirement from the code includes proof of documentation to show the location, system, and a means of reducing the clearing time of the arc flash. Arc flash reduction as stipulated by NEC is a set of safety measures designed to minimize the risk of electrical accidents caused by arc flashes. But hold on, what’s an arc flash? Well, an arc flash is a sudden release of energy through the air, resulting from an electrical short circuit through air otherwise known as Arc Faults.
Although both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, industrial automation is showing a preference for One Cable Automation due to the savings and simplicity that it brings for the design, construction, and operation of machinery and systems.
